The Chickasaw messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1880-1900, 1887-09-15
The Psniseusiary Question.
Ivieksburg Postl

population is 80 large that the
State cannot take control OF the
Penitentiary without great ex-
pense. "How can the State possi-
bly, take charge Of eight hundred /
convicts," ask the apologists for
the leasing system who are so
deeply interested in the welfare Of
the taxpayers. The answer, of
course, is simple; that if a private /
individual or \ corporation can
pay bonus of $4,000 a year for
their labor, the State could at least
make the institution self-support- |
ing.
But the question arises, why is
this prison population so enor-
nous and so vastly out Of proper
ton to the general population of
the Statei By the latest published
Official report there we're sl2 con-
victs in the State prison. Prior to
the war the highest number was
1859. The present prison popula-
ton ought not to be more than 400
or 500 at most.
There are several potent causes
for this overgrown convict pOpu-
lation. The grade Of grand lar
ceny is entirely too low. It stands
now at $40. Before he emancipa-
ton Of the negroes it was s25. In
every Northern State it is at least
s25, and in many it is placed at a
much higher figure. Why is it a
greater crime now to steal to the
value of $40 than it was in the
year 1902 It is impossible to
conceive a Just reason why this
felony should have been placed at
such a low grade.
Out Of the sI2 convicts, 277, or
nearly three-eighs of the whole
number, were convicted oflarceny.
If larceny as a Penitentiary sffense
was restored to its former grade,
this number would in al probable
ity be reduced one-half 81
Another cause Of this large con-
Wet population is the severity Of
the term Of imprisonment. The
averageterm Of conference.-the the
Mississippi Penitentiary, exclud-
ing the life sentences, is 4 years
and 1928 days. There is not a sim
gle frst-elass prison in the North,
in the densest. populations, with
such an average term of imprison-
ment.
The last published prison regis
ter shows that there we're thirty.
three boys in this prison, not one
of whom was committed when he
was over the age Of eighteen years,
whose average term Of imprison-
ment is 5 years and S2s days. 1t
is a startling and extraordinary
fact that this class Of juvenile Of
tenders, sent to prison for proba-
bly, their first effense, certainly not
hardened criminals and not beyond
all moral influences, are actually
punished more severely and with
longer terms ofimprisonment than
the average adult felon. There are
twelve boys sentenced when under
Is years of age, with an average
term of years and 3 months.
Two, of l6 years, are confined for
life. Another, at 10 years of age,
was sentenced for 5 years for san
attempt to commit highway rob
berry," while II year old boy
was given 10 years for can at
tempt to commit rape" And am
other boy Of lS years was senten-
ced for 10 years for similar in
eaectual attempt. On August 9Th,
1856, a l6 year old boy finished
serving term Of Imprisonment
for selling bad meat"
These are some samples Of JUS
tee as exemplifed by our admin
istration oferiminal Jurisprudence.
An extraordinary death rate,
and high pardon and escape rates,
serve to keep within some bounds
a convict population which other
wise would soon swell into thous.